Good attendance at school plays a vital role in supporting children to make good progress and have positive relationships with their peers and adults.  Our current guide to good attendance can be found below along with expectations around punctuality and absence requests.

Attendance at Halton Community Combined School

At Halton Community Combined School, the regular attendance of pupils is always a priority focus for the school.  We encourage all students to maintain excellent attendance with 96% considered a good level. Attendance falling below 95% will begin to cause concern in relation to the impact on learning and progress with 90% constituting up to three weeks off school over an academic year or 75 hours of learning time missed. Please see our Good Attendance guide in the diagram below.

PUNCTUALITY 
It is important that all pupils arrive at school punctually so that the day can start well and registration is completed quickly.  The start of the day is a very important time for the children as it gives them an opportunity to catch up with friends, reflect on feedback from their teacher about their learning and check in with adults.  Regularly not being ready for the first lesson of the day can have a negative impact on a child’s progress and peer group relationships. 

For Years 2, 4 and 6, we open the school at 8:40am for their registration. Years 1, 3 and 5 begin school at 8.45am and Reception at 8.50am. Any children arriving 10 minutes after this time will be marked as late.  Any children arriving at school after 9:05am when registration closes will be marked as a U code, which is an unauthorised absence.  

Attendance and punctuality is incredibly important.  We understand that the past few years have had a real impact on school attendance but, now that we have returned to normal, it is more important than ever that children are in school to redress the balance in all areas of their education.  We do appreciate children need to be kept off school when they are genuinely sick; however, there are currently too many children who have poor attendance rates.  Poor attendance and late arrivals not only affects the child who is not in school but all the other children in the class too.

Why it matters :

• 5 days of absence in one year = 97.3% attendance
• 14 days absence in one year = 92.6% attendance

We are obliged to consider 90% attendance as “PERSISTENT ABSENCE”

• 20 days absence in one year = 89.4% attendance
• 39 days absence in one year = 80% attendance or the equivalent of one day a week!

Please help you child and us by considering the following :

• Wherever possible make routine medical appointments out of school time
• The school will only grant a pupil a leave of absence in exceptional circumstances.  Please understand that the Headteacher and Family Support Coordinator are not being personal or difficult when they do not grant holidays in term time.
• Ensure your child’s prompt arrival at school to help them make a good start to the day.

It is our belief that good attendance and punctuality are not only fundamental to a child’s progress but develop good habits and skills which lead to success later in life.  We are committed to working in partnership with parents and to supporting you in your aspirations for your children’s education so we look forward to your support with this.

If you wish to speak to somebody in school regarding attendance, please contact office@haltoncc.school